Chapter 28. TARA THE CONQUEROR
Tara gathers her commanders on the deck of her ship. "Many of you have expressed your desires to know my plans…Well I will tell you…We are sailing to Braavos to conquer it in the name of Daenarys Targaryen…" She unrolls a map of Slaver's Bay and lays out her plan for taking the city of Braavos.
When Tara's fleet arrives she spreads the fleet haphazardly across the bay to hide the fact that she is about to attack the Arsenal of Braavos which she must neutralize first to secure the city. Then Tara goes ashore to buy a mansion and borrow gold from the Iron Bank. "The Lifetime Champion of the Fighting Pits…Is always welcome at the Iron Bank." Tychos Nestoros says.
"Thank you for seeing me on such short notice…" Tara has ten men with her, a few of whom are scoping out the bank's guards. Arya is also there and she is to act childish and play around while casing the bank for traps and other guards.
"What can I do for you my lady?"
"I wish to borrow a large sum of gold…I wish to raise more troops." Tara hands Tycho a piece of paper.
He gasps at the amount, "Can you pay this back…"
"As I understand it Daenarys Targaryen has disrupted slave trade throughout Essos…I intend to defeat her and capture those Dragons…Dead or alive they would fetch a huge sum…I also intend to sail back to Westeros and take the Iron Throne for myself…"
"And if you cannot?"
"Have I ever failed? The West is weak…Stannis cannot take the North as the Lannisters can't wage war at the moment…Neither can the Tyrells…The Martells won't fight for him neither will the House of Arryn…I have fought for and with the King in the North…I know how he thinks…It will all be mine!"
Tychos agrees and gives Tara the gold on the condition that she open up slave trade in the west so that the free cities can rebuild. Tara sends out spies and curriers to pay off corrupt officials and find people who secretly wish to see Daenarys Targaryen succeed. It takes a month and three days to raise more troops and bride the necessary people. When all is ready Tara unleashes her forces into the city. She even pays the faceless men large sums to assassinate certain nobles.
Within a matter of hours Tara controls Braavos. "You bitch!" Tychos says, "You lied to me!"
"Yes I did…It will be up to the Queen to decide your fate…Take them all away…"
Throughout Braavos Daenarys' sigil hangs. Some are resentful while others overjoyed. Tara appoints Tolass head of the Iron Bank. She appoints a man by the name Cero Hanzol Chief Castellan of the city to rule in the name of Daenarys Targaryen. Tara's army now numbers 60,000 strong 20,000 of which will have to remain in the city under the command of Hiram. Tara gathers her advisors for a meeting on her next target. "We will sail to Volantis…"
"Why Volantis? It is so far away…" Akbar asks.
"To keep the other cities off balance…The attack on Volantis will be a direct attack from the sea…We sail in two days…"
A man enters and whispers into Hiram's ear, "Robb Stark the King in the North is here to see you."
"Leaves us!" Tara orders as Robb enters the main hall.
Tara bows, "Your grace!"
"Where is my sister?" He demands forcefully.
"Hiram!" Tara yells, "Bring Arya here." She commands when he opens the door. "It was my intention to send Arya home when we landed in Braavos…"
Robb ignores her comment and then Arya enters, "Arya! Why did you run away?"
"It's not Tara's fault you broke your word to Walder Frey! Father sent me to be her ward and I wish to remain with her."
"What about mother?"
"She will never understand me!"
Robb looks at Tara and she sighs. Tara walks up to Arya and kneels before her, "Arya your family misses you…"
"I miss them as well…But I belong at your side…"
Tara stands up, looks at Robb, then she leaves the room. A few hours pass before Robb exits the main hall without Arya. "Is it true you intend to conquer the free cities for Daenarys Targaryen?"
"Yes!"
"And when she crosses the narrow sea, then what?"
"I will advise her to seek a betrothal when she marries and has her first child…"
Robb sighs, "I leave my sister with you and ask that take care of her…"
"I always have." Robb starts to leave, "Robb!" He pauses without looking back, "I'm truly sorry about your father and if I had to all over again…"
"What's done is done!" He says without looking back. He shakes his head and turns around, "I forgive you and ask that you forgive me…For I hold equal parts blame for my father's death…" Tara walks up to Robb and they interlock arms. "You will always be welcome at Winterfell…" The day after Robb leaves Tara sets sail for Volantis.
The Free City of Volantis
Volantis is the oldest city of the free cities. The first colony of Valyria, after the Doom, the Volantenes tried to rebuild the empire under their rule. They failed. Not least because the last Valyrian with dragons, Aegon Targaryen, entered the war against them. Now they are content to dominate only their lower classes.
"I thought you said we were heading for Meereen?" Tyrion Lannister asks.
"We are, but first I need information…" Varys replies. The carriage goes through the slave market to a mansion in the city overlooking the water.
"Whose house is this?"
"A longtime friend and ally…Now I need you to remain here I will return shortly…"
An entire hour hadn't passed before Tyrion tried to leave, but the guards stopped him. So he pretended to go to the kitchen to ask for food and wine and as he planned was ignored by the busy cooks. He sneaks out and heads for the first brothel he can find. As Tyrion walks up the street a hooded comes out of an alley eying Tyrion. Tyrion pays for three women and has sex with all of them.
When he exits the brothel Varys is waiting for him. "Couldn't you stay put for at least an hour?"
"I have needs! Ugly needs all the time…I am shorter than everyone else so I need more…" They start walking. "So what did you find out?"
"Stannis is King…And he has a price on both our heads…"
"You would think he would turn all his attention on the Starks…"
"He can't make war on the King in the North…At least not now…"
"What of my family?"
Your brother is Warden of the West…His wife Selyne is expecting their first child…Tommen is in High Garden with his wife Maergary…Marcylla
They eat dinner at a popular restaurant and explore the city. "I need to take a piss…" Tyrion says walking off. As he stands by an open port to the side of the city on the cliff a man sneaks up behind Tyrion and after his pants are up the man places a bag over Tyrion's head and ties his hands and feet. Tyrion struggles but it is useless. The man takes Tyrion to the docks and when they reach the docks a whistling sound fills the air. Then a boat explodes killing several men.
"Impossible!" The man says as a fleet of ships baring the red three headed Dragon of the Targaryens attack.
"Let me go!" Tyrion mumbles.
The man takes Tyrion back through the streets as people panic and city guards make their way to the docks. He stops at the west wall and climbs up. "Hay!" A soldier shouts. In three moves the man kills the guard. He places a rope around Tyrion's body and lowers him down. Then the man climbs down and takes off carrying Tyrion. They only make it a half of a mile as they are surrounded by several men on horseback.
As the docks burn Tara leads her army ashore and attacks the city from the west gate. While Akbar leads an attack from the east side of the city. The fighting is bloody as Tara's forces overwhelm the defenders and take the city. After a week of fighting the sigil of House Targaryen flies over the city of Volantis.
Tara stands on a platform addressing the slaves in old Valarian. "Slaves of Volantis…I Tara Clegane in the name of Daenarys Targaryen do hereby grant you your freedom! Remove your collars and walk free! The mother of Dragons grants you this gift…" As if on point a Dragon flies over the city and roars. The people look up and point then they start to chant, "MHYSA!" Tara throws gold to the slaves and then holds court in Daenarys' name.
Hiram has six men bring in Varys, Tyrion Lannister, and Jorah Mormont. Tara stands and walks up to the three men, "Varys Lord of Whispers."
"Lady Clegane an honor to meet you again…"
She walks over to Tyrion, "Tyrion Lannister…You are a long way from home…"
"Lady Clegane! They said you were tall and beautiful…"
Tara smiles at him as she walks over to Jorah Mormont, "You are from Westeros?"
"Jorah Mormont!"
Tara furrows her brow in thought, "Of House Mormont?"
"Yes! But no longer…I serve or was a servant of Daenarys Targaryen…She banished me on pain of death…"
"Why?"
"I sold people into slavery to raise gold…"
"He also kidnapped me! And was spying on Daenarys Taragaryen on behalf of Robert Baratheon in exchange for a pardon…" Tyrion says interrupting.
Tara looks at Jorah, "Is this true?"
Jorah looks at Tyrion, "Yes but I betrayed Robert Baratheon…Tywin Lannister told the Queen of this because she was becoming a liable threat…I kidnapped him to get back in her good graces…"
Tara walks up to him and stares into his eyes, "You're in love with her!"
"What of it?"
"What are you going to do with us?" Tyrion asks as she turns away from them.
"Hiram!" She says with her back to all of them, "Have these men bathed and given fresh clothes. Make sure they are fed well…I will see them individually…"
Two days passed before Tara met with Varys. He informed her that Petyr Baelish conspired with Lysa Arryn to poison Jon Arryn and blame it on the Lannisters. They discussed other things as well. The next day she met with Tyrion Lannister. Tara offered to advise Daenarys to make him Warden of the West in exchange for his loyalty. Finally Tara meets with Jorah Mormont. She decides to place him under her command figuring that the Queen would never forgive his betrayal, which indirectly cost the death of her child. Next Tara spent the next month organizing a working government and army to rule the city in Daenarys' name.
Varys proved more useful to Tara by contacting Magister Illyrio who convinces the nobles of Pentos to surrender the city Tara Clegane. Tara sends Hiram and Eagen to Pentos to organize an army to march on the city of Myr while she marches on the city of Qohor. The attacks are coordinated so that both armies reach the city at the same time.
Tara attacks Qohor from land using siege towers and catapults. Her army numbers 60,000 strong twenty percent of which is made up of slaves taught to use the bow and spear. The easiest weapons to teach in a short period of time. The rest of her army is made up of pit fighters, mercenaries, sell swords, and pirates drawn to the legend of the Amazon. Tara keeps the more seasoned warriors at the head of the army as not to frighten the slave volunteers who may run. After three weeks of bloody war Qohor surrenders.
Meanwhile Eagen and Hiram's army numbers 15,000. The war rages on as the people refuse to surrender their city without a fight. Eventually the city is taken because of the slaves who turn on their masters. The city of Tyrosh doesn't wish to serve Daenarys Targaryen but it does pledge itself to the Amazon Tara Clegane in exchange for gold. Tara sends word to Eagen and Hiram to remain in Tyrosh until she conquers the city of Norvos. One by one the free cities fall to Tara's armies and raise the sigil of the three headed red Dragon.